In early October 2022, my family and I traveled to a town in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh for my aunt and uncle's housewarming celebration. As soon as we arrived, we realized that my aunt and uncle were busy preparing for the housewarming, and we had nothing to do there.
My uncle recommended going to "Cumbum Cheruvu" with our cousins. At first, we were perplexed since that "cheruvu" means pond in Telugu. When I researched it on the Internet, I found its rich history and geography. We set off and reached in about 30 minutes. When we pulled up, we were honestly shocked, as we were of the misleading notion that we were visiting a pond. Translated into English, "Cumbum Cheruvu" actually becomes "Cumbum Lake". To call it a "pond" was an awfully minimalistic way to describe “Cumbum Lake” In actuality, the “pond” was enormous it was the size of a large lake, which had a calm surface. The views were breathtaking, the Nallamala Hills in the background, complimenting the lake. The statues of Krishnadevaraya and his wife Varadharajamma were definitely a highlight. My family and I greatly enjoyed our visit
Cumbum Lake has an interesting history that spans from the fifteenth century to the present. It was originally constructed in the fifteenth century by the Gajapatis and later modified by Princess Varadharajamma(wife of Sri Krishnadevaraya), who also built an anicut dam there. Later inscriptions show that the area was also under the rule of the Mughal Empire as a part of Golconda. A popular legend claims that when the surrounding areas were flooded, the queen(Varadharajamma) had a dream in which a goddess appeared. The goddess said she would stop the flooding, in exchange for two people as a sacrifice to her. Two brave people called “Pedda Kambudu" and "Chinna Kambudu” stood. The flooding was immediately quelled. Thus saving the flooded areas. The two towns of “Cumbum” and “Chinna Cumbum” were named in the twins' honor for their immense service.
Cumbum Lake also known as Gundlakkama Lake was built on the Gundlakkama rivulet. It is nestled amid the Nallamala hills and is one of the oldest man-made lakes in Asia. It is also the second-largest irrigation tank in all of Asia. The lake is located in Cumbum Mandal, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh. The lake is about 7 km long and 3.5 km wide and has a directly irrigated area of 10,300 acres of farmland.
Overall, Cumbum Lake is a great place to go, combining History, Geography, and Legend. I have to add that the area is vastly unknown to many outside the districts of Prakasam and Kurnool. The lake and its surroundings provide a beautiful and breathtaking view over both the lake and the rich, green, farmland irrigated by it. I recommend you pack a light jacket if you visit in the monsoon or winter. In summer there is really no requirement. I recommend visiting in the receding monsoon season. As always thank you for reading my blog.
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